Sanjha Morcha

ED: Agusta accused got Rs 325 cr in kickbacks

ED: Agusta accused got Rs 325 cr in kickbacks

New Delhi, April 4

The Enforcement Directorate told a Delhi court today that Christian Michel, the alleged middleman arrested in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam, and other accused received €42 million euros (nearly Rs 325 crore) as kickbacks in the deal.

The probe agency, in its 3,000-page supplementary chargesheet, also named David Syms, Michel’s alleged business partner, and two firms owned by them — Global Trade and Commerce Ltd and Global Services FZE — as accused.

In its first chargesheet, filed against Michel in June 2016, the ED had alleged that Michel and others received €30 million (about Rs225 crore) from AgustaWestland.

Special Judge Arvind Kumar said he would decide on whether to take cognisance of the ED’s supplementary chargesheet and to summon the accused on April 6.

ED’s special public prosecutors DP Singh and NK Matta told the court that British nationals Syms and Michel through their firms had received the money without undertaking any work against the receipt of such amount.

The money was received by the firms to execute the 12 helicopters’ deal but no helicopters were bought, ED said.

“The money was paid by Westland Group companies to these two firms. The money was then routed to different companies and individuals. This was done through these two firms in which both (Michel and Syms) of them are directors… Syms’ bank statement records showed that substantial amount has been credited to it,” ED said.

The agency said this money trail completed the missing link in the total €70 million trail of the AgustaWestland deal, which was being investigated by it. — PTI